Extensible vehicle mirror

ABSTRACT

As extensible mirror apparatus for a vehicle including an elongate arm having a rack gear thereon, a mirror housing mounted for moving longitudinally along the arm, and a driving motor and spur gear enclosed within the mirror housing operable to drive such along the arm for extending and retracting the mirror. An extensible and retractable flexible boot provides a cover between the vehicle and mirror housing for portions of apparatus which otherwise would be exposed upon extension of the mirror.

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 299,480 filedAug. 31, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,376.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a vehicle mirror, and more particularly to amirror which may be extended and retracted under power laterally to theside of a vehicle.

Side view mirrors are well known for vehicles. Often they have thecapacity for remote control adjustment in relation to the tilt and anglethereof to be adjusted for convenient viewing from inside the vehicle.It may be advantageous also to have a mirror which usually is disposedin a retracted position closely adjacent the vehicle, and in specificinstances may be extended laterally outwardly therefrom. Such would behelpful to see around trailing objects, such as towed trailers.

Extensible mirrors have been known in the past, but these have notalways been successful. Prior devices known to applicant generally havehad an operating motor secured to the vehicle, with an operating rod orshaft extending outwardly therefrom which is turned to cause the mirrorto extend and retract. Others, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,930 toDeedreek have used a form of rack gear driven by a spur gear, but suchhave had exposed parts which are subject to being affected by theelements, dirt, etc. which may be imposed upon the device.

Applicant has devised a unique extensible vehicle mirror utilizing areliable rack and pinion gear drive system which should overcomeproblems which occur in previously known devices.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a novelextensible vehicle mirror which is simple and economical to manufactureand install, yet which is efficient in operation.

More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide anextensible vehicle mirror in which an elongate arm is adapted to bemounted on and extend laterally outwardly from a vehicle, the arm havinga rack gear extending therealong, with a bracket mounted on and movablelongitudinally of the arm toward and away from the vehicle. A mirror anda motor are mounted on and movable with the bracket and a drive gear isconnected to the motor for engaging the rack gear to move the mirrorlongitudinally along the arm upon operation of the motor.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a novelextensible mirror in which a mirror housing mounted on the movablebracket encloses the bracket, mirror, motor and drive gear to protectthem from the elements.

Another object is to provide a novel extensible mirror in which anelongate arm on which the mirror housing, bracket and motor are mountedhas a slot defined therein with gear teeth along one side to produce arack gear to provide a stable support arm and a portion of the drivemeans for the mirror in the integral arm element.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such anextensible vehicle mirror in which a flexible extensible-contractibleboot interconnects the movable housing and an adapter connected to thevehicle, such that the boot maintains a protective covering over the armand other elements of the mirror which otherwise would be exposed uponextension of the mirror.

These and other objects and advantages will become more fully apparentas the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an extensible vehicle mirrorapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention withportions broken away for illustrative purposes.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken generally along theline 2--2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view on a reduced scale of the extensible mirrorapparatus in a retracted position with portions broken away toillustrate internal parts.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 3, with the mirror extended.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an extensible-contractible boot used inthe invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, at 10 is indicated generally anextensible-retractable mirror apparatus according to an embodiment ofthe invention. The mirror includes a formed plastic housing 12 in whicha substantially planar rear view mirror 14 is mounted. Mirror 14 may beof a remotely adjustable style with operator mechanism shown generallyat 16 which may be remotely actuated from inside the vehicle to changethe angular orientation of the face of the mirror for convenient viewingas is known. The operator mechanism 16, in turn, is secured to anupright mounting plate 18 which is mounted through a series of supportpins, or posts, 20 to the interior of housing 12.

The inside of housing 12 is formed with a support shelf portionindicated generally at 24 (see FIG. 2). This support shelf portionextends substantially the full length of the interior of housing 12. Ithas a substantially horizontally disposed upper shelf region 24a and asubstantially horizontally disposed lower shelf region 24b. An angularlydisposed joining wall portion 24c extends between shelf portions 24a,24b.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, an adapter, or connector element, 28 isillustrated secured to a side portion 30 of a vehicle. The connectionbetween such an adapter and a vehicle is well known in the art and willnot be described in detail herein.

Extending laterally outwardly from adapter 28 and thus laterallyoutwardly from side portion 30 of the vehicle, is an elongate arm 34having a longitudinal axis. The inner end of arm 34, nearest adapter 28is pivotally connected to adapter 28 through a swivel connector 36. Theswivel connector has an upright pin 38 extending therethrough to providea vertical pivot axis about which arm 34 may swing relative to adapter28. Such swivel connections for side mirrors of vehicles are known, andthus will not be described in detail here.

The elongate arm 34 has a cross-sectional configuration as illustratedin FIG. 2. Arm 34 has a bottom surface 34a and a top surface 34bsubstantially parallel thereto. Bottom surface 34a and lower shelfportion 24b of shelf portion of the housing rest in sliding relation toeach other. An angularly disposed side surface 34c slidably engagesjoining wall portion 24c of the support shelf portion. A downwardlyprojecting lip 34d engages an outer side edge of shelf portion 24. Anelongate groove indicated generally at 40 extends longitudinally of arm34.

An elongate slot 44 is defined in and extends longitudinally of arm 34.A plurality of gear teeth 46 are defined along one side of slot 44 toprovide a rack gear extending longitudinally of arm 34 within slot 44.

A bracket, or mounting element, 50 overlies arm 34 and is secured bysupport posts, or pins, 51 to housing 12. As is best seen in FIG. 2,bracket 50 has a downwardly depending leg portion 50a which is slidablyreceived and runs in groove 40 in arm 34. Remainder portions of bracket50 ride slidably along the top of arm 34.

Secured to the top of bracket 50 is an electric motor 52. A horizontallydisposed spur gear 54, also referred to herein as a drive gear, isoperatively connected to motor 52, depends below the upper surface ofbracket 50, into slot 44 and engages rack gear teeth 46. Operation ofmotor 52 turns spur gear 54 about a vertical axis which, in turn, drivesbracket 50, housing 12, and mirror 14 longitudinally along arm 34. Themotor is reversible to cause the mirror to be extended or retractedrelative to the vehicle, as desired. The reflective face of mirror 14occupies a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of arm34 and this movement is substantially parallel to the face of themirror.

An electrical power conduit, or wire 58 connects motor 52 to a powersupply on the vehicle. When power is supplied to motor 52 to drive thespur gear 54 in a clockwise direction as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4,housing 12, bracket 50, motor 52, and mirror 14 are moved longitudinallyoutwardly along arm 34 and away from vehicle 30 from the fully retractedposition closest to adapter 28 and vehicle 30 illustrated in FIG. 3toward the fully extended position farthest from adapter 28 and vehicle30 illustrated in FIG. 4. Conversely, when power is provided to turnmotor 52 in the reverse direction, the housing, mirror, bracket, etc.,are returned from the extended position illustrated in FIG. 4 toward theretracted position illustrated in FIG. 3. The extent of extension andretraction permitted is indicated generally by the dimension 60 in FIG.3.

In other words selected rotation of drive gear 54 by motor 52 isoperable to move the bracket, mirror, and motor longitudinally of arm34, substantially parallel to the face of mirror 14, laterally inwardlyand outwardly relative to the adapter and vehicle to selected positionsrelative to the vehicle. The selected position may be fully retracted,fully extended, or at any selected position between fully extended andfully retracted.

An accordion-style, flexible elastomeric extensible-contractible boot 62extends between adaptor 28 and housing 12. The boot is illustratedgenerally in perspective view in FIG. 5 in solid outline in itsretracted configuration, and extended in the dashed outline portion. Theretracted dimension is indicated generally at 64 and the extendeddimension at 66.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, it will be seen that adaptor 28 has anannular groove, or depression, 70 formed therein and housing 12 has anannular groove, or depression, 72. Boot 62 has annular inwardly directedprojections 74, 76 at its opposite ends, respectively. Projections 74,76 frictionally fit in grooves 70, 72 respectively to provide protectionover the space between the housing and adaptor.

It will be noted that housing 12 has an inner end portion 12a nearestadaptor 28, and an outer end portion 12b spaced outwardly therefrom. Thebracket 50, motor 52 and spur gear 54 are mounted within the inner endportion of the housing.

With mirror 14, bracket 50, motor 52, and spur gear 54 are all heldwithin housing 12 and thus are generally protected from the elements.Swivel connector 36 is in a position intermediate housing 12 and adaptor28. The purpose of boot 62 is to provide a covering for the swivelconnector and that portion of the arm which otherwise would be exposedupon movement of the housing away from the vehicle.

Operation of the present invention is such that when the mirror 14 inits retracted position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, it is in aposition close to the vehicle as would be found for the usual side viewmirror. Should it be necessary to extend the mirror to be able to clearvision for towed or other impediments to rear vision, it is a simplematter to supply power to motor 52 to cause rotation of spur gear 54driving the housing, motor, bracket, and mirror 14 laterally outwardlyfrom the adaptor and vehicle to the position illustrated in FIG. 4spaced further from the vehicle. Since the motor and gear remainenclosed within housing 12 they continue to be protected from theelements and provide direct driving force to move the housing along therack gear 46 of arm 34. Flexible boot 62 provides an enclosure forportions of the apparatus which otherwise would be exposed uponextension of the mirror.

While a preferred embodiment to the invention has been described herein,it should be apparent that variations and modifications are possiblewithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An extensible mirror apparatus for a vehiclecomprisingan elongate arm having a longitudinal axis adapted to bemounted on and extend laterally outwardly from the vehicle, a rack gearextending longitudinally along said arm, a bracket mounted on andmovable longitudinally of said arm, laterally inwardly and outwardlyfrom the vehicle, between fully extended and fully retracted positions.a mirror and a motor mounted on and movable with said bracket, and adrive gear drivingly connected to said motor and engaging said rack gearoperable to move said bracket, mirror and motor longitudinally alongsaid arm laterally inwardly and outwardly to selected positions relativeto the vehicle between said fully extended and fully retracted positionsupon operation of said motor.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, which furthercomprises a housing mounted on and movable with said bracket in whichhousing said bracket, mirror, motor and drive gear are mounted.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, which further comprises a power supply conduitextending from said motor toward the vehicle.
 4. The apparatus at claim1, wherein the face of said mirror occupies a plane substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of said arm and operation of the motormoves said bracket, mirror and motor along a path parallel to saidlongitudinal axis.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprisesa mounting element adapted to be attached to the vehicle and said arm issupported on and extends outwardly from said mounting element.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 5, which further comprises a swivel connector andsaid arm is operatively connected to said mounting element through saidswivel connector.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said arm has anelongate slot formed therein extending longitudinally of the arm and oneedge of said slot has gear teeth formed thereon to provide said rackgear.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said drive gear extends intosaid slot to engage said gear teeth.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, whichfurther comprises a housing mounted on and movable with said bracket inwhich housing said bracket, mirror, motor and drive gear are mounted,said housing having an inner end portion adapted to be positionednearest the vehicle and an outer end spaced outwardly therefrom, andsaid bracket and motor are enclosed in said inner end portion of saidhousing.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, which further comprises anextensible-contractible flexible boot extending between said housing andthe vehicle covering the portion of the arm which otherwise would beexposed upon movement of said housing away from the vehicle.
 11. Anextensible mirror apparatus for a vehicle comprisingan adapter forattaching to a vehicle, an elongate arm having a longitudinal axissupported on and extending laterally outwardly from the adapter, a rackgear extending longitudinally along said arm, a bracket mounted on andmovable longitudinally of said arm toward and away from the adapterbetween a fully retracted position adjacent the adapter and a fullyextended position spaced a greater distance from the adapter, a mirrorand a motor mounted on and movable with said bracket, and a drive geardrivingly connected to said motor and engaging said rack gear operableto move said bracket, mirror and motor longitudinally along said arm toselected positions between said fully retracted and fully extendedpositions upon operation of said motor.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein said bracket is slidably mounted on said arm for movementlongitudinally therealong.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11, which furthercomprises a housing mounted on and movable with said bracket in whichhousing said bracket, mirror, motor and drive gear are mounted.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 13, which further comprises anextensible-contractible flexible boot extending between said housing andthe adapter covering the portion of the arm which otherwise would beexposed upon movement of said housing away from the adapter.
 15. Theapparatus of claim 11, which further comprises a swivel connector andsaid arm is operatively connected to said adapter through said swivelconnector.
 16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said arm has anelongate slot formed therein extending longitudinally of the arm and oneedge of said slot has gear teeth formed thereon to provide said rackgear.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said drive gear extendsinto said slot to engage said gear teeth.
 18. The apparatus of claim 11,which further comprises a housing mounted on and movable with saidbracket in which housing said bracket, mirror, motor and drive gear aremounted, said housing having an inner end portion positioned nearest theadapter and an outer end spaced outwardly therefrom, and said bracketand motor are enclosed in said inner end portion of said housing. 19.The apparatus of claim 18, which further comprises anextensible-contractible flexible boot extending between said housing andthe adapter covering the portion of the arm which otherwise would beexposed upon movement of said housing away from the vehicle.
 20. Anextensible mirror apparatus for a vehicle comprisingan adapter forattaching to a vehicle, a swivel connector mounted on said adapter, anelongate arm mounted on the swivel connector and extending laterallyoutwardly from the swivel connector and adapter, said arm having anelongate slot formed therein extending longitudinally of the arm, aseries of gear teeth formed in said slot defining a rack gear extendinglongitudinally along said arm, a bracket slidably mounted on and movablelongitudinally of said arm toward and away from the adapter between afully retracted position adjacent the adapter and a fully extendedposition spaced a greater distance from the adapter, a housing mountedon said bracket and movable therewith having an inner end portionnearest the adapter and an outer end portion space outwardly therefrom,a mirror and a motor mounted on and movable with said bracket, saidbracket and motor being enclosed in the inner end portion of saidhousing, a drive gear drivingly connected to said motor and engagingsaid rack gear operable to move said bracket, housing, mirror and motorlongitudinally along said arm to selected positions between said fullyretracted and fully extended positions upon operation of said motor, andan extensible-contractible boot extending between said housing and theadapter covering the portion of the arm which otherwise would be exposedupon movement of the housing away from the adapter.